Texans Place Senio Kelemete On IR
The Texans’ offensive line just took a blow. Houston is placing guard Senio Kelemete on injured reserve, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network (Twitter link). In a corresponding roster move the team has promoted linebacker Tyrell Adams from the practice squad to the active roster, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle.
A fifth-round pick back in 2012, Kelemete has been with the Texans since 2018. He spent a handful of seasons with the Saints as a part-time starter before signing a three-year deal with Houston last offseason. He was the team’s primary left guard last year, starting 14 games. He started their opener against the Saints in Week 1, but picked up a wrist injury. He practiced last week, so this is a bit of a surprise.
Kelemete will now have to miss at least the next eight games before he is eligible to return. Rookie first-round pick Tytus Howard filled in at left guard in Week 2, then flipped to right tackle. Rookie second-round pick Max Scharping started at left guard this past week, and appears to have that job secured moving forward. Adams is a journeyman who has bounced around a ton of teams’ practice squads and offseason rosters since entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2015. He’ll be depth only.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/24/19
Here are Tuesday’s practice squad decisions:
Arizona Cardinals
- Signed: P Ryan Winslow
Atlanta Falcons
- Signed: TE Carson Meier
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: LB Nate Hall
- Released: LB Curtis Akins
Carolina Panthers
- Signed: T Matt Kaskey
- Released: G Rishard Cook
Cincinnati Bengals
- Signed: CB Greg Mabin
- Released: RB Jordan Ellis
Denver Broncos
- Signed: WR Trinity Benson
Detroit Lions
- Signed: WR Chris Lacy
- Released: RB Nick Brossette
Houston Texans
- Signed: WR Tyron Johnson
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: CB Deante Burton
- Released: RB Darius Jackson
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Signed: DB Alexander Myres
- Released: DB Trevon Mathis
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: WR Ishmael Hyman
Texans Work Out C.J. Anderson
The Texans will audition running back C.J. Anderson on Tuesday, a source tells NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero (on Twitter). Anderson was displaced last week when the Lions claimed Paul Perkins off waivers from the Giants. 
The Texans’ running back situation was thrown into disarray in the offseason when Lamar Miller suffered a torn ACL. They went out and traded for Duke Johnson, and later added Carlos Hyde to the mix in a deal with the Chiefs, but they’re still investigating supporting cast members.
Anderson joined the Lions on a one-year, $1.5MM deal this year, but he rushed for just 43 yards in 16 attempts in his two games with the club. Given his success with the Panthers, Raiders, and Rams last year, it stands to reason that he can still be an effective back, unless age and injury have caught up with him.
Texans Move Bradley Roby To Slot
- It looks like the Chargers will be without their kicker for a third straight week. Los Angeles has listed Michael Badgley as doubtful to face the Texans. This will point to a third Ty Long kicking assignment. After being named AFC special teams player of the week in Week 1, the Bolts’ punter missed two field goals in their loss to the Lions.
- When the Chargers face the Texans, they will see a reconfigured cornerback corps. After spending five years as a boundary corner with the Broncos, Bradley Roby is now the Texans’ slot defender. The Texans cut slot incumbent Aaron Colvin after Week 1 and have moved second-round pick Lonnie Johnson into the starting lineup at outside corner, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle notes. Houston gave Roby a one-year, $10MM deal. This slot assignment now serves as a critical component in another Roby contract year.
Latest On Dolphins’ Trades, Strategy
In addition to moving on from numerous veterans this offseason, the Dolphins have now traded two players who were seemingly building blocks in Laremy Tunsil and Minkah Fitzpatrick. These moves appear to have tripped the NFL’s alarm.
The Tunsil trade involved numerous Texans offers, with Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reporting the steps the AFC teams took to finalizing the trade that sent the left tackle to Houston. The Texans’ offers went from Jadeveon Clowney-for-Tunsil, straight up, to Clowney and a first-rounder for Tunsil to first- and second-rounders for Tunsil. The Dolphins managed to drive the price to two first-rounders and a second-round selection and requested tackle Julie’n Davenport in return, Salguero notes.
Upon seeing the Texans’ deal-closing offer on a board in Chris Grier‘s office, Tunsil told the Dolphins GM, “I would trade me for that too,” Adam Beasley of the Miami Herald adds (via Twitter).
In reshuffling their power structure after last season, the Dolphins were not planning to jettison Tunsil, Fitzpatrick, Kiko Alonso or T.J. McDonald. (The Dolphins dealt Alonso to the Saints and released McDonald.) Brian Flores‘ coaching staff clashed with Alonso, Salguero adds, and asked him to play multiple roles — including edge defender. The Dolphins demoted the highly paid linebacker before trading him.
Fitzpatrick is a Steeler, being dealt after a trade request. The second-year defensive back was not on board with the versatile role the Dolphins asked him to play, and Salguero adds the team never found a sufficient comfort level that would allow Fitzpatrick to settle in at one spot. Both Grier and owner Stephen Ross attempted to help Fitzpatrick and Miami’s coaching staff find common ground.
“Myself, Brian, and Steve (Ross) — we had multiple conversations with him, saying we wanted him here and viewed him as a core piece and wanted him here,” Grier said. “The kid just felt it was time for him to move, and we told him what the value was. We told teams we had multiple offers, and we felt that the Pittsburgh one was the one best for the organization.”
Texans Sign Bryan Anger, Cut Trevor Daniel
Another punter switch in Houston. A year after Trevor Daniel beat out Shane Lechler, the young punter will lose his job to former third-round pick Bryan Anger.
The Texans initially signed Anger just before training camp but gave Daniel the punting job after the preseason. After two games, Houston will go with the seven-year veteran over the 2018 UDFA. Daniel will head to the waiver wire.
Daniel averaged 43.5 yards per punt in his first two 2019 games. He punted seven times in the Texans’ 13-12 win over the Jaguars. Anger, 30, punted in 16 games from 2012-18, serving as the Jags’ punter for four seasons and the Buccaneers’ punter for the past three. He’ll now be called upon to help another South-division franchise.
The team also brought in Marquette King for a workout, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. King has not punted since the Broncos released him last season.
NFL Workout Updates: 9/16/19
We’ve got another batch of workout updates from the past few days, all via veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer on Twitter (unless otherwise noted):
Detroit Lions
- OT Caleb Benenoch, OL Justin Evans, CB Alexander Myres, CB KeiVarae Russell, OT Zach Sterup
Houston Texans
- OT Caleb Benenoch (via Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle on Twitter)
Indianapolis Colts
- LB Curtis Akins, S Corrion Ballard, S Briean Boddy-Calhoun, DT Carl Davis, DT Deon Simon, RB David Williams (via Wilson)
Miami Dolphins
New Orleans Saints
- LB B.J. Bello, LB Andrew Dowell, LB Connor Strachan
Oakland Raiders
San Francisco 49ers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- WR Amara Darboh, WR Ryan Davis, WR Ishmael Hyman (via Wilson)
AFC Notes: Jaguars, Patriots, Randall
The Jaguars will be without several players on Sunday against the Texans, Michael DiRocco of ESPN recaps on Twitter. S Ronnie Harrison is listed as questionable with an ankle injury. CB A.J. Bouye, WR Marqise Lee, DE Yannick Ngakoue and LT Cam Robinson have all already been ruled out of the contest.
Last week, Jacksonville lost starting QB Nick Foles, who suffered a broken left clavicle in Week 1 and has been placed on injured reserve. The franchise’s collective health has put a damper on what should have been a bounceback year for the Jags. As the team carries on in Houston, let’s take a look around the AFC:
- The Patriots worked out several players ahead of their game against the Dolphins, a source tells Nick Underhill of The Athletic (Twitter link). OT Caleb Benenoch, NT Carl Davis, DT Willie Henry, DB Josh Jones and DB Adarius Pickett worked out for New England.
- Browns S Damarious Randall has been ruled out of Monday’s game, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link). Randall showed up to Cleveland’s facility with a concussion and was placed in the concussion protocol.
- A.J. Green, who injured his ankle during the Bengals‘ training camp, is out of his walking boot and feels like is he ahead of schedule in his recovery, as Tyler Dragon of the Cincinnati Enquirer relays. “I’m only six weeks out and I’m already walking,” Green said. “You never know what the next two weeks or three weeks are going to bring to where I can start back putting on shoes and actually running and doing some on the field stuff. You never know.”
Details On Nick Martin's Texans Re-Up
- Nick Martin‘s three-year, $33MM Texans extension features fully guaranteed salaries ($6.1MM and $7.25MM) for the 2019 and ’20 seasons and a $5MM signing bonus, Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets. The Texans center’s 2021 and ’22 base salaries of $7.25MM and $7.75MM are non-guaranteed.
- Jaguars left tackle Cam Robinson has received clearance to make his season debut, but Doug Marrone said (via ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco, on Twitter) the third-year blocker will be held out against the Texans. It would appear Robinson, who is dealing with a different knee problem than to the ACL tear he suffered last season, will be on track to return to his post in Week 3. He has not played since September 2018. Due to a hamstring malady, Yannick Ngakoue is also out for the Jags this week.
- The Texans worked out cornerbacks Jeremy Clark, Rodney Randle and D.J. White, per veteran NFL reporter Howard Balzer (on Twitter). Houston made a cornerback roster swap this week, releasing Aaron Colvin and signing Phillip Gaines.
NFL Practice Squad Updates: 9/12/19
Today’s practice squad updates:
Buffalo Bills
- Signed: TE Nate Becker
- Released: LB Nate Hall
Chicago Bears
- Signed: DL Abdullah Anderson
- Released: LB James Vaughters
Cleveland Browns
- Signed: G Colby Gossett
- Released: CB Donnie Lewis
Green Bay Packers
- Signed: G Ben Braden
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Cornell Armstrong
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: WR Terry Godwin
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: TE Brandon Dillon, WR Alexander Hollins
New England Patriots
- Signed: S Obi Melifonwu
New Orleans Saints
- Signed: DT Mitchell Loewen
Philadelphia Eagles
- Signed: CB Ajene Harris
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: CB Parry Nickerson
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: RB Dalyn Dawkins
- Placed on injured list: QB Logan Woodside
Washington Redskins
- Signed: TE Donald Parham